Method for cleaning floors in textile mills



E. F. KULP Sept. 11 1962 METHOD FOR CLEANING FLOORS IN TEXTILE MILLS Filed Oct. 22, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 11. 1962 E. F. KULP 3,053,700

METHOD FOR CLEANING FLOORS IN TEXTILE MILLS Filed Oct. 22, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 4,2 I; a 4-7 (5) 4-2- 32 0 '04 W32. o m a |E INVENTOR EARL. FORREST KuLP Y afm,bem, 74m 2M5.

ATTORNEYS Sept. 11., I962 E. F. KULP 3,053,700

METHOD FOR CLEANING FLOORS IN TEXTILE MILLS Filed Oct. 22, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 II! A W Z "'fh i III o E.F.KULP

Sept. 11., 1962 METHOD FOR CLEANING FLOORS IN TEXTILE MILLS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 22, 1958 EARL FORREST KuLP AJTTNUVEYS E. F. KULP Sept. 11,, 1962 METHOD FOR CLEANING FLOORS IN TEXTILE MILLS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 22, 1958 INVENTOR EARL FORREST KULP ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 11, 1962 3,053,700 METHOD FOR CLEANING FLOORS IN TEXTILE MILLS Earl Forrest Kulp, Greenville, S.C., assignor to Parks- Cramer Company, Fitchburg, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Oct. 22, 1958, Ser. No. 768,932 Claims. ((31. 13410) This invention relates to a method for removing accumulations of lint, fly and other loose foreign matter which normally accumulates on the floor of a textile mill in which a plurality of textile machines such as spinning frames, roving frames, twister frames, and the like are operated.

It it well known that in most textile operations, ambient fiber waste such as fly or lint is thrown out in the air and will eventually settle on various parts of the machine and on the floor. If not removed frequently, this accumulation of fiber waste will endanger the proper operation of the textile machines, create a fire hazard and may be drawn into the textile product being produced thereby reducing the quality thereof.

Removal of this accumulation of lint and the like has been a long-standing problem in the textile industry and many prior attempts have been made to solve this perplexing problem. The first attempt to remove accumulations of lint and the like included manually brushing the machinery periodically to brush the lint onto the floor and then manually sweeping the floor and collecting the sweepings. This manual cleaning operation has proved to be too time consuming and expensive while still not effectively removing the lint as it is deposited on the machines and floor. In recent years, traveling blowers of various types have been utilized to blow air upon the machines to prevent or reduce accumulations of line thereon. Most of these blowers, presently in use, are mounted for travel along trackways suspended above the machines and have means for directing an air blast downwardly on the machines as they pass thereover.

However, this type of traveling blower does not remove the lint from the atmosphere but merely displaces or stirs up the lint as it passes over a particular portion of the machine and after the blower has passed over the machine, the lint is free to again settle on the machine and more particularly on the floor. Also, with the traveling blowers in operation, it is still necessary that the floors must still be manually swept and the lint removed therefrom because if this lint is allowed to accumulate on the floor, it will be stirred up the next time that the traveling blower approaches and may be agitatedto the extent that the lint will again be blown upwardly and alight on the machine or adjacent machines.

Attempts to clean the floors by blowing across the floors have not solved the problem because blown air is difiicult to control and causes agitation of the lint back up into the atmosphere around the textile machine. Attempts to clean floors by blowing also create additional problems of disposal of the lint and other matter.

With the'foreg-oing in mind, it is the primary object of this invention toprovide a method for automatically cleaning the floors of a textile mill by creating suction currents in a predetermined path and closely adjacent the floor to pick up fiber waste and other loose foreign matter and convey the same into a collection chamber.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other'objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic end elevation of aspinning frame and showing one form of traveling suction cleaner used in carrying out the present invention suspended for traveling movement along a trackway above the frame and extending downwardly to a point closely adjacent the floor for creating suction currents therealong;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the upper portion of the traveling suction cleaner, looking in the direction indicated by line 22 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional plan view of the cleaner, taken substantially along line 3-3 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through the collection chamber of the traveling suction cleaner, taken substantially along line 44 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view, illustrating the manner of rotatably suspending a downwardly extending flexible tube from the traveling suction cleaner;

FIGURE 6 is a somewhat diagrammatic vertical sec tional view through a spinning frame and showing a modified form of traveling suction cleaner, partially in section, and connected to a traveling blower of the type which is currently in use;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary elevation of the upper portion of the traveling cleaner, looking in the'direction indicated by line 77 in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the traveling cleaner shown in FIGURE 6 with parts broken away;

FIGURE 9 is a vertical sectional view with parts in elevation, taken substantially along line 9-9 in FIG- URE 6;

FIGURE 10 is an isometric view, with parts broken away, looking downwardly on the traveling cleaner and in the general direction of the arrow 10 in FIGURE 8.

Referring to FIGURES 1 through 5, it will be noted that the first =fornr of traveling suction cleaner, broadly indicated at C, comprises suction blower means, broadly indicated at 10, suction current conveying means, broadly indicated at 11, and collection means, broadly indicated at 12. The conveying means 11 extends downwardly from the traveling cleaner and terminates closely adjacent the floor F and the collection means 12 is disposed between the suction blower means 10 and the suction current conveying means 11 for collecting any matter picked up and carried thereto by the suction current conveying means 11.

The traveling cleaner C is supported for movement on the horizontal flanges of an inverted T-shaped trackway 15 (FIGURES l and 2) which preferably extends longitudinally of a row of textile machines, such as spinning frames 20, only one of which is shown in FIGURE 1. The trackway 15 is suspended above the central portion of the spinning frame 20 by any suitable means, not shown, from the ceiling of the textile mill.

Referring to FIGURES l, 2 and 3, it will be noted that the suction blower means 10 is supported on a substantially rectangular platform 25 which is carried in a horizontal position by support rods 26. The support rods 26 are suitably secured at their lower ends to the platform 25 and converge toward each other at their upper ends where they are fixed to a support carriage 30. The support carriage 30 has outwardly and upwardly ex tending support arms 31 adapted to rotatably support carriage rollers 32 which ride on the horizontal flanges at opposite sides of the trackway 15.

In order to provide movement to the carriage 30,. a driving unit, broadly indicated at 40, is connected thereto by a link 41. The driving unit 40 is suspended beneath the trackway 15 by support rollers 42 which rotatably engage the horizontal flanges of the trackway 15 and are rotatably supported in the upper ends of brackets 43. The lower ends of the brackets 43 are suitably secured to a frame on which-an electric driving motor 45 is supported. The motor 45 drives an endless belt 46 to thereby impart rotation to a driving wheel 47 which engages the lower surface of the trackway and is mounted for rotation in the frame 44. Electric current may be supplied to the motor by any suitable means, such as wiper elements 50, only one of which is shown in FIGURE 2, which engage a charged terminal rod 51 supported above the trackway 15. The wiper elements may be connected to the electric motor 45 by any suitable means, such as electric wires 52.

,The suction blower means 10 in this instance comprises a conventional vacuum cleaner fixed on the platform 25 and having the usual suction creating fan 61 and driving motor 61a (FIGURE 1). The cleaner 60 also has an inlet or suction tube 62 in which continuous suction currents are produced by the fan 61. The inlet tube 62 is suitably connected to an outlet port in a housing of the collection means 12 (FIGURES 1 and 4). The housing 75 is suitably secured to the platform 25 and has a downwardly depending collection chamber 76 formed integral therewith and the lower end of the chamber 76 is closed by a hinged bottom panel 77. The housing 75 is provided with a screen or other suitable type of filter 80 through which air may pass as it passes through the housing 75 but the filter 80 will prevent the passage of lint and other particles carried by the air.

The filter 80 may be secured in the housing 75 in any suitable manner and is shown as being fixed at one end to a plate 81 which is removably secured to one side of the housing to facilitate easy removal of the filter 80 with removal of the plate 81. The housing 75 is also provided with an arcuate baflle plate 82 (FIGURE 4) which directs the air currents downwardly prior to their passage through the filter 80. This downward deflection of the air currents by the plate 82 causes most of the lint to be deposited in the collection chamber 76 before the lint has a chance to contact the filter 80. However, any lint not deposited in the chamber 76 will be stopped by the filter 80 so that it will not be drawn into the cleaner 60.

The suction current conveying means 11 includes an inlet pipe 85, one end of which is suitably secured to the housing 75 and the opposite end of which is bent downwardly and supports the upper end of a flexible tube 90 (FIGURE 1). The lower end of the flexible tube 90 terminates closely adjacent the floor F.

In the present instance, the lower end of the pipe is flared outwardly as at 91 (FIGURE 5) and has the outer race of an anti-friction bearing 92 fixed therein. The inner race of the bearing 92 has the upper end of a vertically disposed pipe 93 fixed thereto and the flexible tube is suitably secured to the lower end of the pipe 93. A pulley 95 is fixed on the pipe 93, immediately below the flared end 91 of the pipe 85 and the pulley 95 is driven by an endless belt 96 (FIGURES 1 and 3). Driving motion is imparted to the endless belt 96 by a pulley 100 fixed on the lower end of an output shaft 101 of a gear reduction unit 102 which is suitably connected to and driven by an electric motor 103. Electrical current may be supplied to the motors 61a and 103 by wiper elements 104 engaging the rod 51 and Wires 105 (FIGURE 2).

The electric motor 103 thus imparts continuous rotation to the flexible tube 90 through the endless belt 96 so that an angularly disposed nozzle (FIGURE 1) will follow a circular path closely adjacent or along the floor F. With circular motion being imparted to the nozzle 110 and longitudinal movement being imparted to the tube 90 by movement of the carriage 30 and traveling cleaner A along trackway 15, the open end of the nozzle 110 will circumscribe a spiraled path of travel along the floor.

Although the flexible hose 90 is shown as being rotated and having an angularly disposed nozzle fixed in the lower end thereof, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to rotating the hose 90 and nozzle 4 110, since it is contemplated that a different type of nozzle could be employed to cover substantially the same area covered by the rotating angularly disposed nozzle 110. For instance, an outwardly flared, relatively narrow, nozzle could be employed in lieu of the angularly disposed nozzle 110 and cover substantially the same area along the floor.

As heretofore stated, the traveling suction cleaner of this form of invention is most effective when used in conjunction with a conventional traveling blowing apparatus. Thus, when lint and the like is blown from the textile machinery by the conventional traveling blower and then settles on the floor, it will be picked up by the traveling suction cleaner nozzle 110 by suction currents created adjacent the floor. The accumulation of lint drawn into the nozzle 110 is then conveyed through the tube 90, into the housing 75 and as the suction currents are deflected by the plate 82, the lint carried thereby will be deposited and collected in the chamber 76. The suction currents will then pass through the screen 80, to remove any foreign matter still carried thereby, out of the outlet port 70, through the vacuum cleaner 60 and be discharged into the atmosphere, free of any lint and accumulation picked up by the nozzle 110.

Of course, the size of the collection chamber 76 in the housing 75 could be varied to accommodate a greater amount of lint before it is necessary to remove the same. In order to remove the lint from the collection chamber 76, the hinged bottom 77 will be swung open so that the lint can fall out of the chamber 76.

Referring to FIGURES 6 through 10, the modified form of traveling suction cleaner is indicated broadly at C and includes suction blower means 10' (FIGURE 6), suction current conveying means 11' and collection means 12'. The suction blower means 10 comprises a centrifugal-type fan mounted for rotation in a blower housing provided with an inlet or air intake port 131 (FIGURES 6 and 10) through which air currents are admitted and then forced outwardly by the fan 120 through a blower duct or branch 132.

The duct 132 extends outwardly and then downwardly, terminating with a blower nozzle 133 which is positioned to direct an air stream downwardly on the spinning frame 20' and in the general direction of the lower end of the suction current conveying means 11. Rotation is imparted to the fan 120 by an electric motor (FIGURE 9) suitably supported beneath the housing 130. The housing 130 is supported for traveling movement along spaced apart trackways 141, 142 and 143. The housing 130 may be supported above and transported along the trackways by a carriage of any suitable type. In this instance, the carriage shown is of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,851,716 and reference may be made to this patent for details not shown in the drawings. The carriage includes a pair of substantially inverted U-shaped frame members 145 and 146 on the upper ends of which the housing 130 is mounted. The frame members 145 and 146 are provided with conventional rollers 150 which engage the trackways 141, 142 and 143 so that the housing 130 may be moved longitudinally along the trackways.

The frame member 146 supports a driving mechanism 152 to which driving motion is imparted by an endless belt 153 (FIGURE 9). The belt 153 is driven by the output pulley 154 of an electric motor 155 carried by the frame member 146. The trackways 141, 142 and 143 are supported in spaced relation to each other by a series of brackets which are fixed on the upper end of standards 161, only one of which is shown in FIGURE 6, and the lower ends of the standards 161 are suitably supported on the upper portion of the creel of the spinning frame 20'.

The modified form of traveling suction cleaner C includes a suction housing 165 which is suitably secured to and supported on the blower housing 130 and the housing 165 encloses the inlet port 131 in the housing 130. Thus, suction air currents are created in the housing 165 by the fan 120 and these suction currents are drawn through the suction current conveying means 11' and collection means 12'. The housing 165 is provided with adownwardly depending collection chamber 167 having a hinged bottom or door 177 for removal of accumulations of lint and the like in the chamber 167.

In order to prevent passage of any foreign matter into the fan 120, a screen or filter 180 is mounted in the housing 165 and extends transversely thereof so that suction currents drawn through the housing 165 will pass therethrough. In order to facilitate easy removal and cleaning of the filter 180, it is preferred that one end of the filter 180 be fixed to a plate 181 which is suitably secured'to one side of the housing 165.

The housing 165 is also provided with an arcuate baffle plate 182, which is suitably secured at its upper end to the upper plane of the housing 165 and is curved downwardly to deflect the suction currents out of their normal path of travel, as shown in FIGURE 6. This downward deflection of the suction currents helps dislodge any foreign matter carried thereby so that the foreign matter will be deposited in the collection chamber 167, prior to the suction currents engaging and passing through the screen or filter 180.

The suction current conveying means 11 comprises a flexible hose 190, the upper end of which is suitably secured to an inlet port of the suction housing 165 and the lower end of which extends downwardly and has a suction nozzle 195 suitably connected thereto as by a resilient coupling 196 (FIGURE 6). The lower end of the nozzle 195 has downwardly extending legs or portions 197 thereon which normallyengage the floor F and define suction opening 200 therebetween. The portions 197 thus support the lower end of the nozzle 195 and prevent the same from engaging the floor around its complete periphery to thereby cut off the suction currents drawn in through the openings 200. The resilient coupling 1% serves to provide freedom of movement to the nozzle 19'5 even in cases where the floor is rough and uneven.

In operation, the electric motor 155 will drive the traveling suction cleaner C longitudinally along the trackways 141, 142 and 143 and the motor 140-will'rotate the fan 120 to create suction currents in the housing 165 and blowing air currents in the duct 132. The suction currents createdin the suction housing 165 will also be created adjacent the floor andin an area surrounding the nozzle 195. Thus, the floor acts as a collecting surface for fiber waste generated by the textile machine and any loose foreign material on the floor will be picked up and drawn through the openings 200 in the nozzle 195, conveyed upwardly through the tube 190 and into the suction housing 165. As the suction currents are deflected downwardly by the plate 182 (FIGURE 6) they will discharge the foreign matter therefrom so that it may fall by gravity into the-collection chamber 167. The suction currents then pass through the filter 180 to remove any foreign matter not previously deposited in the collection chamber 167 so that the air passing into the fan 120 will be free of lint and the like.

If desired, an additional blower pipe 210 (FIGURES 6, 8 and 10) may be connected at its upper end to the duct 132 to divert a portion of the blowing air currents and direct them downwardly and along the floor F (FIG- URE 6). These blowing air currents directed along the floor F will assist in moving any foreign matter, disposed beneath the spinning frame 20', closer to the suction nozzle 195 so that it may be easily picked up as the suction nozzle 195 is carried down the aisle adjacent the row of spinning frames 20'. It will be noted in FIG- URE 8 that, with the traveling cleaner C traveling in the direction indicated, the blowing pipe 210* is positioned forwardly of the suction nozzle 195 so that the blowing air will move lint and the like beneath the spin- 6 ning frame and intothe path of travel of the suction nozzle 195.

The traveling suction cleaners shown in both formsof this invention provide means to create suction currents closely adjacent the floor of a textile mill and they p'eriodically travel a predetermined path. The foreign matter picked up by the suction currents are conveyed upwardly to an overhead collection chamber where the foreign matter is removed from the suction currents prior to their passage into the suction blower means to thus prevent damage of the suction blower means by lint and thelike and to prevent the dispersal of the foreign matter into the atmosphere again.

Although only the first form of the present invention discloses a rotating suction current conveying means; it is to be understood that this feature could easily be adapted to the traveling suction cleaner C shown in the second form of applicants invention. While the tubes and are shown positioned in a perfectly vertical position, in practice, the engagement of the nozzle with the floor, rotation of the nozzle 110 and vibration of the traveling apparatus on the respective trackways will cause the tubes and nozzles to sway or swing and thereby actually clean a larger area than the suction cur rents would normally clean should the tubes remain'in a perfectly vertical position.

In the drawings and specification there have been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for, purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. The method of collecting ambient fiber Waste generated as an incident of the operation of textile machines which comprises applying a localized suction zone at the fioor level adjacent a group of textile machines, causing said localized suction zone to travel automatically along a predetermined path at the floor surface adjacent said machines during the operation of the machines, employing said adjacent floor surface as a settling surface for said ambient fiber waste upon generation thereof by. said machines, and effecting collection of the settled" waste from said floor surface by automatically repeating the travel of said localized suction zone along, said predetermined path at sulficiently frequent intervals to prevent excessive accumulation of fiber waste while allowing continued settling of said fiber waste at said floor surface;

2. The method of collecting ambient fiber waste generated as an incident of the operation of textile machines which comprises applying a localized suction Zoneat the floor level adjacent a group of textile manufacturing machines, causing said localized suction zone to travel automatically along a predetermined path at the fioor' surface adjacent one side of said machines during the operation of the machines to pick up ambient fiber wastewhich has settled on the floor surface, while directing air along the floor from the other side of the machines to move fiber waste from under the machine into the path of travel of the suction zone, conveying the picked up waste to a collecting zone traveling with the suction zone, separating the waste from the air, and effecting cleaning of the floor surface by the automatic repeated travel of said localized suction zone along said predetermined path during generation of fiber waste by the manufacturing operation.

3. The method of collecting ambient fiber waste generated as an incident of the operation of textile machines which comprises applying a localized suction zone at the floor level adjacent a group of textile machines, and causing said localized suction zone to travel automatically along a predetermined path at the floor surface adjacent said machines during operation of the machines, while directing air drafts toward the textile machines to cause continued settling of the generated fiber waste on said floor surface, and automatically repeating the travel of said localized suction zone along said predetermined path and thereby effecting removal of said fiber waste deposits from said floor surface. 1

4. A method of cleaning ambient fiber waste generated as an incident of the operation of textile machines and settling on the fioor of a textile mill which comprises applying a confined area of suction air currents at the floor level adjacent a group of textile machines, automatically moving the area of suction currents along a predesignated path to attract and entrap said fiber waste, conveying the suction currents and fiber waste upwardly away from the floor and to an overhead zone, and separating and collecting the fiber waste from the air at the overhead zone, and efiecting cleaning of the floor by automatically repeating the travel of the suction currents while allowing continued settling of the fiber waste generated by the machine operation.

5. A method of removing and collecting ambient fiber waste generated as an incident of the operation of textile machines, which comprises creating traveling blowing currents of air directed toward said machines to move fiber waste from the machines and allow it to settle on adjacent floor areas, simultaneously applying a localized suction air current at the floor level adjacent a group of textile machines, automatically moving said blowing and suction currents along a predetermined path adjacent said machines and in spaced relationship with each other during the operation of the machines, employing said adjacent floorsurface as a settling surface for said ambient fiber waste, whereby said fiber waste is localized and entrapped by the suction currents, and effecting cleaning of said floor surface by automatically repeating the travel of said blowing and suction currents at sufliciently frequent intervals to prevent excessive accumulation of fiber waste.

6. A method of removing from the floor of a textile mill having rows of textile machines the fiber waste generated by the machines and deposited thereon which comprises creating a source of suction air currents at an overhead zone, applying a localized suction inlet area at the floor adjacent a group of machines, automatically moving the suction inlet area along a predesignated repeat path on the floor adjacent the machines to entrap fiber waste, conveying the entrapped fiber waste upwardly above the textile machines, separating and collecting the fiber waste from the suction currents in advance of the source of suction, and automatically periodically repeating the travel of said suction inlet area to effect cleaning of the floor While fiber waste generated by the textile machines continues to settle on the floor.

7. A method of removing from the floor of a textile mill having rows of textile machines the fiber waste generated by the machines and deposited on the floor which comprises creating an area of suction air currents closely adjacent the floor, automatically moving the area of suction currents circularly and simultaneously moving such currents along the floor in a predetermined path generally parallel to the rows of textile machines to entrap fiber waste settling upon the floor, while conveying the suction currents and fiber waste upwardly away from the floor, filtering the fiber waste from the air and releasing the air into the atmosphere of the mill, and automatically repeating the travel of the suction currents in said pre determined path to effect continued cleaning of the floor while allowing continued settling of the fiber waste on the floor.

8. A method of cleaning foreign matter from the floor of a textile mill having rows of textile machines therein which comprises creating a suction air current closely adjacent the floor and at one side of a row of machines, moving the suction air current along a path parallel to the row of textile machines to attract and entrap foreign matter in the suction current, conveying the suction current and foreign matter entrapped thereby upwardly and above the row of textile machines, filtering the suction current to remove the foreign matter therefrom, directing the air current downwardly at the side of the row of textile machines opposite said one side, and exhausting the current along the floor adjacent said machines.

9. A method of cleaning the floor in a room of a textile mill wherein a plurality of textile machines such as spinning frames are arranged in spaced apart parallel rows comprising moving a suction air current along the floor adjacent one side of the textile machines in a row for removing lint and the like therefrom, channeling the suction air current upwardly to above the textile machines to thus carry the lint and the like therewith, filtering the lint from the suction air current, and blowing the filtered air downwardly and along the floor adjacent the other side of said row to aid in moving lint and the like into the path of the suction current.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the blowing of the air precedes the suction current and is moved in timed relation thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,463,583 Holleran July 31, 1923 1,892,751 Smith Jan. 3, 1933 2,651,473 Siegenthaler Sept. 8, 1953 2,677,629 Buck May 4, 1954 2,752,273 Mitchell June 26, 1955 2,879,536 Denning Mar. 31, 1959 2,886,843 Bahnson May 19, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 63,557 Netherlands June 15, 1949 673,591 France Oct. 8, 1929 OTHER REFERENCES Advertisement in Textile World, page 91, by the Parks-Cramer Co., March 1957. 

1. THE METHOD OF COLLECTING AMBIENT FIBER WASTE GENERATED AS AN INCIDENT OF THE OPERATION OF TEXTILE MACHINES WHICH COMPRISES APPLYINH A LOCALIZED SUCTION ZONE AT THE FLOOR LEVEL ADJACENT A GROUP OF TEXTILE MAACHINES, CAUSING SAID LOCALIZED SUCTION ZONE TO TRAVEL AUTOMATICALLY ALONG A PREDETERMINES PATH AT THE FLOOR SURFACE ADJACENT SAID MACHINES DURING THE OPERATION OF THE MACHINES, EMPLOYING SAID ADJACENT FLOOR SURFACE AS A SETTLING SURFACE FOR SAID AMBIENT FIBER WASTE UPON GENERATION THEREOF BY SAID MACHINES, AND EFFECTING COLLECTION OF THE SETTLED WASTE FROM SAID FLOOSR SURFACE BY AUTOMATICALLY REPEATING THE TRAVEL OF SAID LOCALIZZED SUCTION ZONE ALONG SAID PREDETERMINED PATH AT SUFFICIENTLY FREQUENT INTERVALS TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE ACCUMULATION OF FIBER WASTE WHILE ALLOWING CONTINUED SETTLING OF SAID FIBER WASTE AT SAID FLOOR SURFACE. 